Meet the Founder of this Fitness-Based Community for Women and Femmes to Find Body Freedom
How I Got Started are short Q&A’s with women founders where they share their experience of emerging as a brand. The aim is that in sharing these conversations, they may impart motivation, guidance and validation to women who are considering starting their own venture and/or in the process of getting going.
“I have grown in the sense that I’ve learned I can’t do everything at once, I’ve learned to hone my focus, and I’m still learning that comparison is truly unhelpful to everyone involved.” -Meg Hopkins, Founder of Thrive Together Movement
Meg Hopkins is the founder of Thrive Together Movement, a fitness-based community for women and femmes to find body freedom, mindfulness, and liberation from society's expectations.
Five years into her business, Meg shares how the business has changed from its initial iteration, the hardest part about getting started, why she arrived at her current business model, and more.
Founder:
Meg Hopkins
The business:
Thrive Together Movement
First started:
As a VERY different business in 2016
Impact you seek to make with your business:
I want to help women and femmes discover body freedom through my signature workouts, mindfulness coaching and body inclusive community.
Short background about what led you to starting your business:
I did NOT always have a good relationship with exercise. It was a way for me to compensate for so-called ‘bad’ eating and behaviors. However, when I suffered from PTSD after being assaulted it was the only thing that helped me regain a sense of control, so I wanted to create a safe space to connect exercise with its mental health benefits and without diet culture BS!
What was the moment you knew you had to take the leap and start your company (aka your Big Whisper moment)?
The moment was when I realized every single fitness company I worked for was intent on shaming people into spending money. Shaming people for their size, shape, motivation, etc. I hated that.
What was your biggest fear when you were getting going?
That nobody would care about what I’m selling! Being in the fitness world and NOT being willing to use diet culture as a motivator is pretty rare.
What was the hardest part about getting started?
Trusting myself and the process of starting a business enough to let go of my other jobs and workplace commitments. Also, getting my target market and offerings niched down.
What’s been helpful to stay motivated and/or inspired?
I really, truly believe in what I’m doing, and my clients are the absolute best. They keep me going even on the toughest of days.
What is your business model, why/how did you arrive at this combination of revenue streams and what percentage of revenue is generated from each?
I use a subscription-based model, with three separate subscription options (and it’s being updated soon! Wooh!) I arrived at this because a huge part of keeping people motivated and engaged in fitness is through subscription-based training. I’d say the biggest percentage of my revenue is through personal training, the next biggest is from classes, and then from on demand.
What was the first iteration of your idea? And how has it morphed into what it is now?
My first iteration was a ‘body positive’ fitness business focused on positivity and self love above all else. Over time, I realized that my definition of body positivity was flawed, and the business I was creating was still rooted in diet culture/white supremacist concepts. It has now morphed to free bodies from the expectations that society puts upon us, and has a social justice pillar as well.
What’s something you want other new women entrepreneurs to know?
Girl, you deserve to REACH OUT and ask for help. I would NOT have gotten this far if I didn’t have an incredible business coach and a community to guide me along the way.
What’s been the most fulfilling about this journey so far?
Every time a client tells me about a moment when their image of themselves and their bodies have changed for the better, I know I’m doing something worthwhile.
What’s a milestone you’re most proud of so far?
I am now making all of my income through my business! I thought this was years down the line, but I only work for me. It’s fun.
How have you grown and/or what have you learned about yourself so far on this journey?
I have grown in the sense that I’ve learned I can’t do everything at once, I’ve learned to hone my focus, and I’m still learning that comparison is truly unhelpful to everyone involved. When I think back on how far I’ve come, I’m actually proud of myself (which is huge for me!)